Ball point pen



March 22, 1960 J. M. BOSLAND BALL POINT PEN Filed Dec. 15, 1954 WM mm wN N an-H IN VEN TOR. Jams M 5064 mm BY hogahlg United States Patent '6 BALL POINT PEN James M. Bosland, Packanacl: Lake, N.J., assignor to Ketcham & McDougall, Inc., Roseland, N.J., a corpora tion of New Jersey Application December 15, 1954, Serial No. 475,360 3 Claims. (Cl. 120-4203) The present invention relates to pens of the ball point type and particularly to a means for retracting the cartridge of such a pen.

More particularly still the invention relates to retracting means which are operable by pushing and pulling on a stem button to eject and retract the writing point from the pen casing. The arrangement is especially adapted to use .with a chain reel which is connected to the pen by means of a ring inserted through the operating button, but may of course be used without such a chain reel.

It is an object of the invention to provide a ball point pen having means for projecting the point beyond the casing and for retracting the point within the casing which means comprises a single button which is operated in one direction to project the point and in the opposite direction to retract the point, as contrasted with those presently on the market which require two operaing buttons, one of which projects the point and the other of which is operated to unlock the first and permit the point to return to retracted position together with the first operating button.

Another object of the invention is to provide a projecting and retracting means for the point of a ball point pen which is rotatable with respect to the other pen elements-thus adapting the pen for use with a chain reel or other suspension means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a retracting mechanism for the point of a ball point pen which comprises a very small number of simple parts which are readily assembled and therefore provide a pen which is simple, rugged and inexpensively manufactured.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the annexed drawings, in which,

Figure l is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a ball point pen including the retracting mechanism of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the pen of Figure 1, the casing elements being broken away at the left hand side in order to more clearly show the retracting mechanism;

Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the pen of the preceding figures, the section being taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a spring which is one of the elements of the retracting mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the pen comprises a barrel 1!) within which there is mounted a unitary cartridge and point assembly 11 having mounted thereon a spring 12 which spring bears against a shoulder 13 in the barrel in the usual manner, the spring urging the cartridge and with it the ball point 14 of the assembly to the left, or retracted, position as seen in Figures 1 and 2.

Barrel 10 is provided with an internal thread 15 at its left hand end and insert 16 is tbreadeclly mounted in the 2,929,359 Fatented Mar. 22, 1960 ICQ barrel 10. This insert 16 is a generally cylindrical member having a tapered portion 17 at its left hand end in which portion there is a groove 18. The insert 16 also has a flange 20 which when assembled bears against the left hand end of the barrel 10.

A cap 21 is provided, the cap being generally tubular and of a diameter at its right hand end such that it may be tightly fitted over the main body portion of the insert 16. At its left hand end the cap 21 is provided with a central aperture 22 into which fits the operating button or plunger 23. This button has a portion 24 of reduced diameter at its right hand end which portion enters within the cylindrical tube or cartridge 11. The plunger or button 23 is also provided with a flange 25 and two grooves 26 and 27, the groove 26 being deeper than the groove 27 and both being peripheral. An internally shouldered sleeve or slide member 28 is positioned on cartridge 11 with its reduced diameter portion engaging the end of button 23.

Three identical radially resilient holding members 29 are provided, these members being shown in detail in Figure 4. The members 29 are shaped somewhat like a spade having an enlarged end 30. At the opposite 'end these members are bent to form a radially inwardly extending portion 31.. Additionally, each of the members 29 base small radially inwardly extending ear stamped therefrom on the center line adjacent either end, these ears being designated 32 and 33. The ears 33 extend downwardly and toward the left as seen in Figures 1 and 2 and when the device is assembled rest in the groove 18 the members 29 being held in position by the cap 21 which fits tightly against the edges of the wide portion 30 of the members 29.

At the opposite ends of the holding members, the ears 32 are positioned to engage the end of sleeve 28 adjacent the plunger 23 when the inwardly extending portions 31 of the members lie in the deep groove 26, so that the cartridge and point assembly is held in writing position against the force of spring 12. However, when plunger 23 is pulled longitudinally outwardly, that is, is moved toward the left'as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the portions 31 of the holding members move radially outwardly over the outwardly extending portion of the plunger defined by grooves 26 and 27 and come to rest in the shallower groove 27. The radial outward movement of portions 31 of the holding members causes the cars 32 to be moved radially outwardly out of engagement with the end of sleeve 28, so that the cartridge and point assembly is moved to retracted position by the force of spring 12.

As will be obvious, when the plunger 23 is pushed longitudinally inwardly, the flange formed at the juncture of the main body of that member and the reduced portion 24 thereof will bear against the left edge of sleeve 28 and move the cartridge assembly to the right into writing position with the ball projecting from the pen barrel. With such movement the holding members will move radially inwardly due to the positioning of their portions 31 in the deeper groove 26 and the cartridge and point assembly will be held in writing position against writing pressure and the force of spring 12 by means of the cars 32. The pressure upon the ball is transmitted through cartridge 11, sleeve 28, ears 32, members 29 and cars 33 to the insert member 16. Thus the detaining action of the portions 31 of members 29 in the grooves 26 and 27 is relied upon only for positioning the plunger 23 and not for holding the point and cartridge assembly in writing position against writing pressure.

It will be clear that the cartridge 11, sleeve 28 and plunger 23 are substantially one as respects axial movement and that they are guided as a unit by means of the reduced portion and aperture at the right hand end of essence the barrel 'andthe aperture in the left hand end of the cap 21. It will additionally be clear that the rotational position of the plunger 23 has no effect upon its operation and that therefore the plunger may .be turned into any position without in any way aifecting the operation of the device. This is particularly advantageous when the device is utilized with a chain reel or similar device, in which case a terminating ring of a chain'rnay be inserted in a bore such as that shown at 34.

In assembling the device the members 16, 23, 23 and 29 are first positioned in the cap 21 after which the barrel ill, with the cartridge therein and with spring 12 on the cartridge, is threaded onto the opposite end of the insert 16, the cartridge then readily seating on the reduced portion 24 of the plunger 23.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I wish to be limited not by the foregoing description, but solely by the claims granted to me.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pen of the ball point type having a barrel, a unitary cartridge and point assembly disposed within said barrel and a spring in engagement with said barrel and said cartridge and point assembly for forcing said assembly to retracted position within said barrel, the combination comprising an insert threadedly mounted in said barrel, said insert having an opening formed therein to slidably accommodate said cartridge and point assembly; a cap fixedly mounted on said insert; a plunger extending through said cap in longitudinal alignment with said cartridge and point assembly and having an end portion adapted to engage the end of said assembly opposite the point thereof, said plunger having a pair of longitudinally spaced peripheral grooves formed thereon defining an outwardly extending portion therebetween, the plunger groove farthest from said cartridge and point assembly being deeper than the plunger groove closest to said assembly; a slide member having an internally shouldered aperture formed therein, the small bore portion or said aperture being arranged to receive said end portion of said plunger, the larger bore portion of said aperture being arranged to receive the end of said cartridge and point assembly opposite the point thereof, said plunger being adapted to longitudinally project said assembly into writing position against the force of said spring when pushed longitudinally inwardly and being adapted for longitudinal movement independent of said assembl when pulled longitudinally outwardly; and at least one radially resilient holding member longitudinally disposed within said cap, said holding member having one end thereof secured to said insert, a radially inwardly extending portion at the other end thereof adapted to selectively rest in either of said plunger grooves in accordance with the longitudinal position of said plunger, and a radially inwardly extending ear adapted to engage the end of said slide member adjacent said plunger when said inwardly extending portion of the holding member rests in the deeper of said plunger grooves and to be moved radially outwardly out of said engagement when said portion moves over said outwardly extending portion of said plunger in movement toward the other plunger groove, whereby said cartridge and point assembly is held in writing position against the force of said spring when said plunger is pushed longitudinally inwardly to cause said inwardly extending portion of said holding member to rest in the deeper of said plunger grooves and said assembly is placed in retracted position by the force of said spring when said plunger is pulled longitudinally outwardly to cause said portion of the holding member to rest in the other groove.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said insert has a peripheral groove formed thereon and said one end of said holding member has a radially inwardly extending ear in engagement with the groove on said in? sort.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein three said holding members areprov-ided, said holding members being equally peripherally spaced around said insert and said plunger and held in place by said cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,657,670 Colburn Nov. 3, 1953 2,709,989 Mansheirn June 7, 1955 2,750,926 Smith June 19, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 934,235 France Jan. 10, 1943 440,628 Italy Oct. 13, 1948 814,569 Germany Sept. 24, 1951 

